Footwear attachment

ABSTRACT

A footwear attachment is disclosed that fastens or adheres to footwear worn by an individual to protect the footwear when an individual is walking outside of a building. A method for using the footwear attachment is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND

A common problem experienced by individuals living in a home or workingin a building is that the individual has footwear, such as socks, ontheir feet, but the individual is hesitant to go outside the buildingwearing only the footwear. The individual may be hesitant to go outsidewearing only the footwear because the ground outside the building maystain or damages the footwear. Further, the footwear itself may notprovide sufficient protection to the individual's feet against sharpobjects or uneven ground present outside the building.

However, the individual may still desire to go outside the buildingwithout having to put on shoes over the footwear. A need thereforeexists for something to protect the footwear and the individual's footwhen the individual leaves a building without putting on shoes.Disclosed herein is an attachment for footwear that protects thefootwear, and the foot of an individual, when the individual is outsideof a building.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an attachment to footwear used toprotect the footwear when an individual is walking outside of abuilding. When an individual prepares to go outside of a building, anindividual places a first foot into a first attachment. The firstattachment fastens or adheres to a first footwear worn on the first footof the individual. Optionally, the individual then places a second footinto a second attachment. The second attachment fastens or adheres to asecond footwear worn on the second foot. The first attachment providesprotection to the first footwear when the individual is walking outsideof the building, and the second attachment provides protection to thesecond footwear when the individual is walking outside of the building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood whenread in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose ofillustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodimentswhich are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, thatthe invention is not limited to the precise arrangements andinstrumentalities shown in the drawings, and that for purposes ofillustration, these figures are not necessarily drawn to scale:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the footwear attachment; and

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the footwear attachment.

DESCRIPTION

Consistent with embodiments of the invention, an attachment to footwearis used to protect the footwear when an individual is outside of abuilding. When an individual prepares to go outside of a building, anindividual places a first foot into a first attachment. The firstattachment fastens or adheres to a first footwear worn on the first footof the individual. The individual then optionally places a second footinto a second attachment. The second attachment fastens or adheres to asecond footwear worn on the second foot. The first attachment providesprotection to the first footwear when the individual is walking outsideof the building, and the second attachment provides protection to thesecond footwear when the individual is walking outside of the building.

As used herein, the term “footwear” is intended to mean socks, slippers,pantyhose, leggings that surround a foot, tights that surround a foot,or any other covering that surrounds a foot other than a shoe.

As shown in FIG. 1 , there is a footwear attachment 100 that attaches oradheres to footwear of an individual. The footwear attachment 100comprises a sole 101 that has an elongated shape that will accommodatethe foot of an individual when the foot is covered with footwear. Thefootwear attachment may completely surround the foot of the individualor it partially surround the foot of the individual. Further, footwearattachment 100 comprises a lip 102 that extends substantially verticallyupward from sole 101. In addition, footwear attachment 100 comprises asurface 103 that is on the top sole 101. The surface 103 is arrangedsuch that it can fasten or adhere to footwear worn by an individual.

As shown in FIG. 2 , footwear attachment 200 includes a lip 202extending substantially vertically upward from sole 201 enough tosubstantially surround the footwear worn on the foot of the individual.In a preferred embodiment, lip 202 will extend substantially verticallyupward from sole 201 such that lip 201 is higher than surface 203.

It will be appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachment maycomprise any material that provides sufficient protection to thefootwear worn by the individual. It will be further appreciated that thesole may comprise more than one material. Examples of materials that canbe used to make the sole include rubber, plastic, molded plastic,leather, synthetic fibers, XL EXTRALIGHT®, Croslite™, metal orequivalents thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the sole comprises of avery light weight material.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachmentmay be comprised of a waterproof material.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear may becomprised of a material that resists penetration by sharp objects.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachmentmay comprise a bottom surface that it smooth or not smooth. The bottomsurface may comprise tread, lines or ridges. It will be furtherappreciated that the bottom surface of the sole may be designed toprovide slip resistance or skid resistance when the individual iswalking.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachmentmay be either rigid or flexible when an individual is walking.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachmentmay have a uniform thickness from the front of the sole to the back ofthe sole. Alternatively, the sole of the footwear attachment may nothave a uniform thickness from the front of the sole to the back of thesole. For example, a top surface of the sole of the footwear attachmentmay comprise an area that extends substantially upward from the topsurface to provide arch support for the foot of the individual.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachmentmay have a uniform thickness from the left side of the sole to the rightside of the sole. Alternatively, the sole of the footwear attachment maynot have a uniform thickness from the left side of the sole to the rightside of the sole.

It will be further appreciated that the sole of the footwear attachmentmay surround the foot of the individual. Alternatively, the sole of thefootwear attachment may not surround the foot of the individual.

It will be further appreciated that the lip of the footwear attachmentmay comprise any material that provides sufficient durability for thelip. It will be further appreciated that the lip may comprise more thanone material. Examples of materials that may be used to make the lipinclude rubber, plastic, molded plastic, leather, synthetic fibers,metal or equivalents thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the lipcomprises rubber.

It will be further appreciated that the height of the lip of thefootwear attachment may be substantially uniform. Alternatively, it willbe appreciated that the height of the lip of the footwear attachment mayvary at different points along the lip. It will be further appreciatedthat the height of the lip of the footwear attachment may be sufficientto protect the footwear if the individual steps into water, mud, clay orthe equivalent.

It will be further appreciated that the lip of the footwear attachmentmay comprise a strap or loop that may extend over the foot of theindividual to assist in keeping the footwear attachment in place whenbeing worn by an individual.

It will be further appreciated that the lip of the footwear attachmentmay comprise a rim or ridge on an inner surface of the lip to assistwith keeping the footwear attachment in place when being worn by anindividual.

It will be further appreciated that the lip of the footwear attachmentmay surround the foot of the individual. Alternatively, the lip of thefootwear attachment may not surround the foot of the individual.

It will be appreciated that the surface 103 of the footwear attachmentmay comprise any material that allows the surface 103 to sufficientlyfasten or adhere to the footwear worn by the individual. In a preferredembodiment, the surface 103 comprises Velcro®.

It will be further appreciated that the surface 103 of the footwearattachment may extend the entire length of the foot of the individual.Alternatively, the surface 103 of the footwear attachment may not extendthe entire length of the foot of the individual.

Further, a method for using the footwear attachment involves anindividual placing a foot covered by footwear onto the surface 103 onthe top of the footwear attachment with sufficient force for thefootwear attachment to fasten or adhere to the footwear.

The above detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.While embodiments of the invention may be described, modifications,adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example,substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elementsillustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may bemodified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosedmethods. Furthermore, while the specification has been described inlanguage specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, theclaims are not limited to the features or acts described above.Accordingly, the above detailed description does not limit theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A footwear attachment comprising: a sole havingan elongated shape that will accommodate the foot of an individual whenthe foot is covered with footwear; a lip extending substantiallyvertically upward from the sole; and a surface fastened or adhered tothe top of the sole, wherein the surface is arranged to fasten or adhereto footwear worn by the individual.
 2. The footwear attachment of claim1, wherein the sole comprises rubber, plastic, molded plastic, leather,synthetic fibers, metal.
 3. The footwear attachment of claim 1, whereinthe sole comprises rubber.
 4. The footwear attachment of claim 1,wherein the sole comprises a slip resistant surface.
 5. The footwearattachment of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises a bottom surfacecomprising a tread, lines or ridges.
 6. The footwear attachment of claim1, wherein the sole comprises an arch support for the foot of anindividual.
 7. The footwear attachment of claim 1, wherein the solecomprises a varying thickness.
 8. The footwear attachment of claim 1,wherein the lip comprises a varying height.
 9. The footwear attachmentof claim 1, wherein the lip comprises a strap capable of extending overthe foot of the individual.
 10. The footwear attachment of claim 1,wherein the surface comprises Velcro®.